^. 


■A- 


[From  'The  Ai'k,'  Vol.  X,  No     i,  January,   1S93.] 


SUMMER     BIRDS    OF     PRINCE    EDWARD    ISLAND. 


\ 


BY   JONATHAN    DVVIGTIT,     JK. 


THE  AUK : 

A   (QUARTERLY  JOURNAL   OF 

ORNITHOLOGY. 
VOL.  X.  January,  1893.  no.  i. 


SUMMER    BIRDS    OF     PRINCE     EDWARD     ISLAND. 

nv   JONATHAN    1>\VIGHT,     JR. 

LviNO  ill  tlic  soullieni  part  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  its 
low  outlines  just  visii)le  tVoin  the  maiulaiul,  is  Prince  Edward 
Island,  called  by  some  one  the  'Garden  of  the  Gulf.'  Compared 
with  the  rnii;o;e(l  Labrador  or  Cape  Breton  coasts  of  the  Gulf, 
this  patch  of  <!;reen  oti  the  surroundin<;-  blue  waters  might  to  a 
fervid  imagination  suggest  the  appellation  of  garden,  but  when 
the  climate,  with  its  long  winters  and  brief  summers,  and  the 
limited  productions  of  tl-.e  island  arc  taken  into  account,  not  to 
mention  the  semi-civilized  aspect  of  much  of  the  country,  the 
name  of  garden  does  not  strike  the  beholder  as  particularly 
descriptive.  However,  it  is  not  my  present  purpose  to  do  more 
than  indicate  the  salient  features  of  the  island's  topography  and 
flora,  that  my  fellow  ornithologists  may  follow  me  the  more 
understandingly  in  my  endeavor  to  introduce  to  them  the  avifauna 
of  a  considerable  area  hitherto  neglected  by  our  fraternity. 
Anticosti,  Nevvfoundlaiul,  Cape  Breton,  and  particularly  the 
Magdalen  Islands  have  all  been  visited,  but  Prince  Edward 
Island  has  been  passed  by,  probably  because  it  seemed  to  oiler 
fewer  attractions  than  tliese  wililer,  r(>ugher  islands. 

Notwithstanding  the  probability  that  I  shouUl  only    meet   w  ith 


2  DwiGJiT,  Summer  Birds  of  Prince  Edward  Island.  \\!m 

birds  whoso  acquaintance  I  liad  already  made  in  otiier  parts  of 
Canada,  I  nevertheless  devoted  a  couple  of  weeks  last  summer 
to  exploring  the  island,  and  am  now  able  to  say  what  ispecies  are 
characteristic  snmnier  residents;  and  a  few  words  ahont  them 
may  not  come  amiss  to  those  of  us  who  may  he  familiar  with 
them  only  dming  the  migration  seasons. 

The  length  of  my  stay  was  from  June  23  to  July  9,  and  hy 
means  of  the  n:irrovv-gauge  railroad.  su])p!cmentcd  by  liorse 
power,  I  visited  l)olli  extremities  of  the  island,  making  Tignish 
and  Souris  mv  headipiarters.  The  remarkable  feat  of  connecting 
these  places  bv  167  miles  of  railroad  has  been  accomplished 
(the  air  line  distance  is  less  than  100  miles),  the  promoteis  of 
the  road  bemg  desirous  no  doubt  that  each  feature  of  the  Itind- 
scape  should  be  viewed  by  the  travelling  public  from  at  least 
three  ditVerent  points  of  the  compass.  I  also  stopped  at  inter- 
mediate points.  The  weather  was  favorable,  mostly  brigiit,  the 
raw  winds  from  the  northeast  and  the  brief  lainstorms  peculiar 
to  the  (inlf  l)eing  tlie  only  disigieeable  t'catures.  and  these  were 
less  pronounced  as  July  advanced  and  tlie  sun  gained  |)owei-. 
What  the  climate  must  be  in  tlie  winter  time,  when  a  belt  of  ice 
extending  as  tVr  as  the  eye  can  reach  surrounds  tlie  island,  and 
binds  it  to  the  mainland  by  ever  shifting  Hoes,  can  only  be 
inferred  from  the  chilling  brt-ath  of  the  northerly  breezes  that  in 
summer  sweep  over  tlij  frigid  water  of  the  Gulf.  The  ice  is 
said  to  disappear  in  April  and  sprin-r  opens,  but  the  summer  is 
brief  and  chielly  confined  to  the  months  of  Jul\'  and  August. 
Brant  regularly  remain  till  the  Sth  of  June.  Willi  such  a  back- 
ward s})ring  and  such  a  cool  and  brief  sunnner  it  is  not  sur[)ris- 
ing  that  agriculture,  beyoiul  the  production  of  hav,  potatoes  and 
oats,  does  not  llomish.  Corn  is  rarely  attempted,  anil  usually 
sullers  by  early  frost. 

Prince  Edwanl  Island  has  the  form  of  an  irregular  crescent, 
the  concavity  to  the  northward.  It  embraces  an  area  of  2133 
square  miles.  Its  extreme  length  from  East  Point  to  West  Point 
is  about  one  hundred  and  twent}'  miles,  and  its  width  woidd 
probably  average  about  twenty  miles,  for  the  coast  line  is  very 
much  indented  by  bays.  By  means  of  them  it  is,  roughly  speak- 
ing, cut  into  three  sections.  The  westernmost  is  the  nar- 
rowest, the  width  increasing  eastward  to  nearly  forty  miles, 
the  island  tapering  olf  again  to  a  point  at  its  eastern  extremity. 


^'%?^]  15"it;ilT,  Sidiimer  /i:'n/.<  of  Prince  Eihvard  Island.  -i 

Tlie  {ioolo<riciil  fonuation  of  tin;  island  is  a  ivii,  ciiiinhiinj^  siiiul- 
stoiie  that  <,'ivc's  rise  to  low  blul'.s  ten  to  twenty  feet  lii<{h  aloni,' 
the  coast,  these  reaching  a  height  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet  at  some 
points,  notably  near  North  Cape,  at  East  Point,  ami  on  the 
north  siiore  near  New  London.  Tlie  IjUiU's  (or  'clifts'  as  they  are 
called  by  the  natives)  are  practically  perpendicular,  the  waves 
eating  them  away  below,  and  usually  tliere  is  a  gravelly  beach  of 
detritus  at  their  base.  They  are  often  guttered  by  streams,  and 
sloping  down,  parallel  to  the  water's  edge,  may  be  replaced  bv 
reaches  of  gravel  or  sand,  or  perhaps  'ow  islands,  behind  whicii 
arc  found  lagoons  and  salt  marslies,  but  in  a  few  miles,  perhaps 
in  a  few  hundred  yards,  they  may  again  iniexpectediy  rise  to  con- 
siderable heiglit.  The  wind-swept  sand  beaches  are  chiclly 
along  tlic  north  shore,  interrupted  at  times  bv  the  red  blulfs; 
and  although  there  is  always  a  perceptible  reddish  tinge  to  the 
sand,  it  is  surprising  how  white  it  may  become  in  some  local- 
ities. The  drifted  sand-hills,  fringed  with  more  or  less  scantv 
grass,  suggested  the  possibility  of  finding  the  Fpswicli  Sparrow, 
and  yet  my  ellbrts  were  unrewarded,  tlie  Savanna  Sparrows  met 
with  in  such  places  being  in  no  wise  lighter-colored  th:ni  those 
of  adjacent  fields. 

A  green  belt  of  farming  country  encircles  the  island,  the  pas- 
tures in  many  places  extending  to  the  very  edge  of  the  blull's.  and 
back  of  them  the  land  is  slightly  rolling,  nowhere  reaching  any 
considerable  altitude.  The  only  marked  inecpialities  are  due  to 
the  erosion  of  small  brooks,  and  the  general  ellect  is  that  of  a  flat 
country.  In  the  central  section,  tlie  best  settled,  tiie  fainis 
extend  from  shore  to  shore  and  have  succeeded  the  forest  that 
once  clothed  the  whole  island.  The  timber  has  been  nearly  all 
cut,  and  no  large  bodies  remain  except  in  the  \vestci"n  and  eastern 
sections,  where  bears,  still  surviving  in  limited  numbers,  indicate 
the  nature  of  the  unsettled  tracts.  A  few  'blueberry  barrens' 
were  noticed.  Most  of  the  island  appears  to  be  well  draineil  and 
comparatively  dry.  I  met  with  no  extensive  swamps,  nor  are 
the  shores  of  the  fresh  water  lagoons  and  lakes  (particularly 
abundant  near  East  I'oint)  especially  swampy.  The  lagoons 
have  been  made  by  the  damming  back  of  small  streams  behind 
the  sandbars  formed  by  the  wearing  away  of  the  blnfls.  At  Tig- 
nish  the  woods  were  in  patches  interrupted  by  fields,  this  style  of 
country  being  characteristic  of  a  large  part  of  the  island.     It  rep- 


A  \')\\n;in\  Siiwiiirr  /ti'ji/s  11/  Prince  Ed\i.iud  hiniid.  I   ."jj 

resents  liere  asolsowlierc  tlie  sprcadiiiif  of  civili/atioii  lliat  destroys 
utterly  the  lorcst  o(  its  own  generation  ami  takes  no  tliouylit  i"or 
the  possil)le  necessities  of  the  fntnrc.  Uefore  the  woodman's  axe, 
the  evergreen  forest  has  melted  away  in  many  parts  of  our  conti- 
nent never  to  return,  its  jjlace  l)ein<;  taken,  as  is  well  known, 
hy  ileciduous  trees,  they  sulleriiij^  in  tiieir  turn,  and  this  process 
is  now  well  advanced  even  on  I'rince  Edward  Island. 

The  native  tiees  are  chiefly  conifene  and  more  than  nine 
tenths  of  them  spruce  {Picca  ni^ra  and  /'.  alba)  and  (ii-  (Aoics 
bahamca).  Among  the  more  abundant  deciduous  trees  are 
maples  (chietly  Acer  sacc/iarinittn),  birches  {Bctiila  lenta^ 
Ii.  hitca,  and  />'.  papyri fcra,  all  in  considerable  numbers), 
beeciies  {/ui^ns  fcmiginca).,  and  some  ol  the  willows  and 
poplars.  Oi"  the  shrubs  the  heath  family  is  well  represented, 
espeeiallv  by  tlie  i^enera  \'ar.ciiihim  (blueberries),  I^cdum  (Lab- 
railor  tea),  and  Kalmia  (A'.  aiis^iis(/Jo/ia,  sheep  lamel). 
Alders  are  generally  distributed.  As  to  the  herbaceous  plants, 
they  arc  those  of  the  i 'Mtli'  rn  woods  and  fields.  It  is  said 
that  some  plants  of  the  adjacent  mainland  are  not  fomul 
on  the  island.  In  otiier  words,  the  twenty  miles  or  so  of  the 
Straits  of  Northumberland  act  as  a  hairier  to  the  [possible 
tinge  of  moie  southern  ibrms,  and  the  same  mav  influence  the 
northward  range  of  certain  s|)ecics  of  birds  more  or  less  coimntjii 
on  tiie  mainland.  Onem.iy  tliid  fragrant  banks  of  the  tin\,  nod- 
ding Limnca,  [)astures  red  with  sorrel  {Rtiwcx  acciosc//a), 
swamps  blue  with  iris  (/r/.v  versicolor).,  clearings  green  with 
coarse  ferns,  beneath  which  gray  mosses  and  clumi)s  of  the 
scarlet  bimchbeirv  (  Corn/is  cauadci/sis)  may  he  foumi,  and  the 
dark  evergreen  woods  are  carpeted  with  the  greenest  t)t"  mosses. 
Tiiere  are  many  other  tiees  and  bushes,  notably  larch  (La/ix 
a»ierica>/a)  and  arbor  vita'  ( T/iiiya  occidcntalis)  which  are 
rather  common  locally,  but  they  are  not  especially  conspicuous 
features,  and  I  merely  wish  to  call  attention  to  certain  parts  of 
the  flora  to  imlicate  in  a  very  general  way  its  character.  There 
are  many  tracts  of  sectind-growth,  usually  almost  wholly  i)eech 
or  maple  which,  if  small,  are  shunned  by  birds,  and  nowJiere  can 
one  wander  far  without  entering  tracts  of  timber,  from  which  per- 
haps only  the  larger  trees  ha\e  been  culled.  Wiuii  lire  rims 
throutrh  timber,  dead  anil  blackened  trunks  are  left  that  in  a  few 
years  become,  by  the  rotting  away  of  their  branches,  the  nionoto- 


^"i'  M  I)\vu;iiT,  Snmmer  Ih'rds  of  Prince  Edward  hhtud.  C 

nous  (lead  stubs  of  tlio  noitliciii  landscape.  Prince  Eilwaid 
Island  is,  however,  remarkably  free  from  such  tracts,  liavinj;;  passeil 
this  period  of  primitive  civilization.  One  way  of  clearinj^  land, 
especiallv  if  it  is  covered  with  second-jjirowth  spruce,  is  to  cut 
down  everythin<^  and  then  let  (Ire  do  its  work  when  the  brush  is  a 
little  dry,  so  it  is  no  wonder  forest  fnesare  easily  started.  After  fire 
has  swept  thron<j;h  a  clearin<^,  laspbeny  bushes  ( /i".  .s7/v]^''o.?//.v) 
and  the  willosv-herh  or  'fire  weed'  {Epi/o/>i/un  angnstifoliitm^ 
are  certain  to  s])rinir  up,  although  apparently  there  may  have 
been  none  for  miles,  coarse  ferns  sof)n  multiply,  and  in  time  the 
old  stumps  and  fallen,  lialf-ch;irred  lo<^s  are  c<nered  with  mo.sses 
.and  lichens,  while  the  jjjround,  if  not  cultivateil,  is  soon  hidden  by 
many  sorts  of  plants  and  {grasses.  In  such  spots  the  White- 
throated  Sparrow  and  the  .Sjate-coloied  Junco  find  their  fa\orite 
haunts,  and  here  the  Hermit  'riitiisb  makes  its  nest  near  the 
ed<^e  of  the  woods,  and  sin.Ljs  from  some  favorite  tree.  I'erhaps 
an  Olive-sided  Flycatcher  may  be  heard  whistling  from  tiie  top 
of  the  tallest  tlead  tree  to  be  found  in  or  near  the  clearing,  or  a 
Wood  Pewee  may  wander  out  from  a  bit  of  open  woods  of  mixed 
growth  near  by.  where  also  maybe  heard  a  I'arula  Warbler  or  a 
Red-eyed  Vireo.  If  maples,  birches,  and  beeches  predominate, 
Ovenbirds  will  be  found,  and  tlie  largei-  tiie  growtli  the  more 
probability  there  is  of  finding  the  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler. 
The  Winter  Wren  and  the  Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher  abide  in  the 
dense  evergreen  woods  along  mossy  brooks  where  few  other  birds 
disturb  the  quiet,  save  perliaps  wandering  Warblers  or  Thrushes. 
In  clearings  grown  up  with  small  spruces  Magnolia  Warblers 
always  abomid,  and  if  these  trees  are  of  consiilerable  size  there 
are  sure  to  be  Olive-backed  Thrushes,  Black-throated  Green 
and  Myrtle  Warblers.  The  Nashville  W'arbler  is  usually  found 
in  the  detached,  ragged  bits  of  mixed  woods,  which  the  Mag- 
nolia and  Myrtle  Warblers  also  frequent,  together  with  Redstarts 
and  Thrushes.  Such  in  brief  are  some  of  the  characteristic  birds 
of  the  woods,  and  such  their  favorite  haunts,  though  their  tastes 
of  course  may  vary  and  some,  such  as  the  Hudsonian  and  Black- 
capped  Chickadees,  the  Woodpeckers,  and  the  Golden-crowned 
Kinglets,  are  almost  sure  to  be  found  in  unexpected  places. 

Then  there  are  damp  bushy  tracts  where  the  bushes  may  be 
waist  high  and  an  occasional  arbor  vita;  or  larch  rises  above  the 
smaller  giowth.      Here  one  may  seek  Canadian   and    Wilson's 


k 
an. 


6  DwiGHT,  Summer  Birds  of  Prince  Edward  Island.  [^"^ 

W;irl)lers  and  Maryland  Yullovvtliioats,  wliilc  swampy  alders 
siiy<(est  the  pr()l)al)ility  of  liiiding  Traill's  I'lycatclicrs  and  Swamp 
Sparrows.  If  a  lirook  passes  through  the  alders,  Water-thrushes 
may  he  heard,  Imt  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  jjel  even  a  glimpse  of 
them. 

'J'he  birds  of  the  fields  are  numerous,  the  Savanna  Sparrow 
probably  fjutnumbering  all  tiie  others  put  together.  Vesper 
Sparrows  and  Song  Sparrows  abound,  wiiile  the  Robin  and 
Flicker  are  more  frequently  seen  in  the  open  than  elsewhere. 
Crows  stalk  about  in  every  field,  tliough  their  nests  are  in  tlie 
woods.  Goldfinciies,  Purple  Finclies,  Crossbills  and  Cedarbirds 
are  generally  seen  on  the  wing  in  the  open  country,  and  n}'ing 
higher  than  the  Swallows  (13arn,  IJank,  anil  White-bellied)  which 
most  freciuently  are  noticed  skimnnng  along  near  tiie  ground  or 
over  the  surface  of  a  sheet  of  water. 

Long  familiarity  with  the  notes  and  habits  of  the  birds  of  the 
Marithne  Provinces  enabled  me  to  accomplish  much  more  than 
if  I  had  been  a  stranger  to  them,  ;md  even  though  my  stav  was 
brief,  I  feel  confident  that  those  species  that  escaj^ed  my  attention 
were  either  exceedingly  rare  or  did  not  occur  in  the  localities  I 
visited.  All  males  were  in  full  song,  and  feniales  startletl  from 
their  nests  lost  no  time  in  begimiing  to  scold-  I  was  in  the  field 
from  morning  till  night,  unci  my  gun  with  its  auxiliiary  was  a 
trusty  friend.  Of  a  previous  visit  to  the  island  in  1876  little 
need  be  said,  for  the  egg  fever  was  on  me  at  that  lime  and  the 
finding  of  .1  Junco's  nest  was  sufficient  to  satisfy  my  ambition  for 
several  days. 

VVhile  in  Charlotietown  I  examined  a  hundred  or  more  birds 
stufied  by  Prof.  S.  N.  Earlc,  but  unfortunately  they  lacked  data 
and  are  tbeiefore  of  little  use  in  the  present  comicction.  J'^om 
iiim,  however,  I  obtained  much  interesting  information.  Some 
notes  upon  the  \s  inter  liirds  of  the  island  have  been  published  by 
]\Ir.  Bain  (Auk,  II,  18S5,  pp.  262-267). 

I  present  here  a  list  that  embraces  only  the  species  tliat  have 
come  under  my  own  observation,  but  it  includes  most  of  the  1  irds 
that  make  their  sinnmer  iiome  (>n  Prince  Edward  Island,  the  fauna 
of  which  is  thoroughly  Canadi 


lan. 


Cepphus  grylle.  IJLACKGi'n.i.KMor.  —  The  'Sea  Pigeons'  iisetl  t'>  l)reed 
in  great  miiiibeis  in  the  cliffs  at  vaiioiis  points  along  tlic  coast.  I  have  no 
doubt  th<it  diey  still  do  so  in  smaller  niiinbers,  although  the  only  positive 


^"s()f]         nwiGin,  Summei  Birds  of  Prince  Edivard  IdaiiiL  ^ 

cvideiu'e  I  have  is  llie  I'iict  lliiit  I  saw  a  dozen  or  iiioic  of  the  hiiils  about  a 
clilVuear  New  Loiuh>ii  on  the  north  sliore  of  the  island,  and  heafd  the 
vounj;  'sqiicnlinj;'  in  inaccefsxible  crevices.  This  clifT,  extending  fxi 
poiliaps  half  a  mile,  is  prohahly  tlie  hij^hest  on  the  island,  and  is  almost 
sheer  to  the  water  seventy  or  eighty  feet  below.  No  beach  here  intervenes 
between  its  base  and  the  waves  which  in  times  of  storm  beat  so  fiercclv 
ajjainst  it  that  it  is  justly  dreaded  hy  mariners  as  one  of  the  most  langer- 
ous  spots  on  the  north  shore  of  the  island.  Its  cnniiblin:;  (ace,  to  tlie  very 
brink  of  which  the  ijreen  fields  above  extend,  affords  led-ies  and  seams 
where  the  'Sea  I'ij^eons'  lind  secure  nesting  places,  and  are  said  to  be 
"plenty."  I  devoted  only  one  d.\v  to  exploring  this  locality  and  did  not 
see  many  birds.  They  were  in  small  parties  or  pairs,  lloating  upon  or 
skimn.ing  over  the  water,  or  quietly  sitting  upon  some  ledge,  the  white 
wing-patch  conspicuous  aiiainst  the  red  background  of  rock  as  \  iewed 
from  a  boat.  Their  black  bodies  were  comparatively  inconspicuous  owing 
to  shadows.  At  Tignish  a  boy  told  ine  he  had  found  a  nest  the  previous 
year  in  the  low  blulTs  of  the  north  shore,  and  I  think  they  may  breed  in  the 
liigh  cliffs  southwest  of  North  Cape,  although  I  could  not  make  thorough 
search.  I  also  saw  a  pair  at  Kast  Point  where  again  are  high  cliffs,  sixty 
feet  or  more  In  lieight. 

Larus  argentatus  smithsonianus.  American  IlRRRiNCi  Gull.  — A  few 
were  seen  from  time  to  time,  but  I  could  find  noevidence  that  they  bred  on 
the  island.  Birds  of  such  powerful  flight  might  well  wander  in  the  course 
of  a  day  many  miles  from  their  breeding  grounds. 

Sterna  hirundo.  Common  Tekn. — It  is  probable  that  this  species, 
known  as  the  'Mackerel  Gidl,'  is  the  only  Tern  resident  dm-ing  the 
summer  nionlhs,  and  it  is  abundant  at  many  points,  particularly  the  sandy 
reaches  of  tlie  north  shore.  I  visited  a  colony  near  Souris  July  7,  con- 
sisting of  perhaps  seventy-five  pairs.  Several  nests  found  contained  three 
eggs  each,  and  were  the  usua'  repressions  in  the  plains  of  drifted  sand, 
protected  possibly  by  a  few  blades  of  coarse  beach-grass  and  in  one  case 
by  a  few  wisps  of  grass  wound  round  the  edge  of  the  hollow.  The  birds 
were  reserved  in  their  demeanor,  but  did  not  hesitate  to  expose  themselves 
(o  the  danger  of  firearms  when  their  nests  were  examined.  Their  dainty 
plumage  and  easy  flight  always  seem  out  of  keeping  with  their  harsh 
voices.  It  is  pleasant  to  visit  a  colony  of  Terns  and  realize  it  has  escaped 
the  pei>ecutioiis  of  the  milliners,  for  perhaps  no  one  genus  of  birds  has 
been  more  thoroughly  exterminated  in  certain  sections  of  our  country 
than  has  Steriiii,  thanks  to  Dame  Fashion's  inexorable  decrees.  I  was 
told  that  this  species  made  its  appearance  each  spring  with  wonderful 
regularity  on  the  north  shore  —  usually  May  22  —  and  always  between 
May  21  and  24. 

Phalacrocorax ?      Two  birds  were  seen  at  New  London,  July  2, 

,)crchc-l  on  a  cliff  whi'e  with  their  chalkings,  but  they  could  not  be  ap- 
proac'.r-d.  I  was  told  that  'Shags'  were  often  seen  on  this  rock,  but  were 
not  thought  to  breed  there.  Whether  carlo  or  dilopfiits  it  is  impossible 
for  me  to  say. 


8  DwiuiiT,  Summer  Birds  of  Prince  Ed-ivard  Island.  f^an 

Anas  obscura.  Black  Duck. — This  is  tlie  only  Duck  of  whose 
piLscMux'  I  have  coiicl.isive  evidence.  I  saw  a  brood  on  a  fresh  water  lake 
near  Souris,  and  I  found  dried  up  on  the  sand  one  dav'  the  carcass  of  an 
adult.      In  several  other  localities  I  heard  of  nests  having  been  found. 

Botaurus  lentiginosus.  Amkrican  Bittern. — A  tolerably  common 
bird  in  suitable  localities,  and  known  by  the  name  of 'Mud-hen.' 

Ardea  herodias.  Grkat  Hi.i  k.  IIhro.s.  —  I  learned  of  at  least  two 
heronries  of  this  bird,  but  did  not  visit  them.  One  near  Charlottetown 
was  described  to  me  as  containing  several  hundred  birds.  The  ue.sts  were 
in  hard-wood  growth,  and  were  warranted  to  contain  young  each  year  by 
Jnly.^.  The  Herons  were  seenat  many  points  on  the  island,  notably  along 
St.  Peter's  Hay,  where  1  saw  upwaiils  of  twenty  as  the  train  skirled  the 
shore.  They  paid  Utile  or  no  attention  to  it,  although  ofttn  less  than  a 
gun-sbot  distant. 

Philohela  minor.  American  Woodcock. — The  sportsmen  are  ac- 
(juainted  with  this  bird  but  it  is  considered  rare.  1  saw  a  stutfed  specimen, 
and  well  recollect  the  one  I  shot  at  I  don't  know  how  many  times  when  1 
visited  Hunter  River  in  1876.  The  country  about  there  is  better  suited  to 
it  than  much  of  the  ground  visited  this  time.  The  partiality  of  the 
Woodcock  for  clean  alder  swamps  still  obtains  on  Prince  Edward  Island. 

Gallinago  delicata.     Wilson's  Snipic.  —  This  .species  breeds,  sparingly 

I  fancy,  at  suitable  places  on  the  island.  I  saw  a  young  bird  in  first 
plumage  among  Prof.  Earle's  birds  and  talked  with  se  ?ral  men  who  bad 
found  nests.  The  tussocks  in  boggy  places  along  brooks  seem  to  be  the 
usual  site — in  one  case  a  nest  was  found  in  a  bunch  of  iris. 

Actitis  macularia.  Spotted  Sandimpkr.  —  Generally  distributed  along 
brooks  ill  the  open  country  and  fairly  common.  A  nest  was  found  in  an 
odd  situation  at  Tignish.  It  was  under  a  decayed  logon  a  boggy  slope, 
and  was  carefully  lined  with  bits  of  rotten  wood. 

^gialitis  meloda.  Piping  Plover.  —  Frequented  the  sandy  or  gnivelly 
beaches  in  considerable  nimibeis. 

Bonasa  umbellus  togata.  Canadia.n  Rlkfkd  (jrouse.  —  A  few  only 
were  met  with,  although  said  to  be  abundant.  A  novel  method  of  hunting 
them  reached  my  ears.  They  come  out  upon  the  railroad  in  a  certain 
section  to  sun  themselves,  and  it  is  said  the  sportsman  riding  to  and  fro 
on  a  track-velocipeile  shoots  them  so  that  sometimes  he  can  pick  them  up 
without  slopping.  I  was  informed  by  gunners  that  Dendnigtipiis  aiiiu- 
de/tsis  does  not  inhabit  the  island. 

Circus  hudsonius.  .Marsh  Hawk.  —  Birds  of  this  species  were  occa- 
sionally seen,  lecogni/able  at  long  distances  by  the  white  bar  on  the  tail. 

II  was  almost  the  only  Bird  of  Prey  met  with. 

Aquila  chrysaetos.  Goldicn  I'^acji-k. —  I  examined  a  live -pecimen  in 
young  plumage,  captured  June  23,  in  a  fox  trap  set  for  it,  near  New  London. 
The  man  who  caught  it  thought  there  was  a  nesi  near  by  in  a  piece  of 
woods,  and  expected  to  trap  the  oiil  birds  as  well,  one  of  which  he  had  seen. 
After  visiting  the  !ocality  I  am  inclined  to  doubt  whether  the  bird  was 
bred   on    the   island.     Eagles  are   considered    rare   birds   there  by  all  the 


^i8oi^]  UwiGHT,  Summer  Birds  of  Prince  Edxvard  /stand.  Q 

people  with  whom  I  talked,  and  prohalily  sliaj  from  wilder  regions,  such, 
for  instance,  as  Cape  Breton. 

Falco  columbarius.  Pigeon  Hawk.  —  A  hird  that  I  took  to  be  this 
species  was  seen  one  day.     I'rof  Earle  showed  me  a  stuffed  specimen. 

Pandion  haliaStos  carolinensis.  Amek.'can  Ospuby.  —  Seen  both  at 
Tignish  and  Souris  in  limited  numbers. 

Coccyzus  erythrophthalmus.  Black-hilled  Cuckoo.— One  specimen 
obtained  at  Tignish  is  the  only  evidence  I  have  of  its  occurrence  on  the 
is'and. 

Ceryle  alcyon.  Belted  Kingfisher. — Tolerably  common,  making 
its  home  in  holes  dug  into  the  sand  stratum  that  overlies  the  rock  of  the 
bluffs  along  the  shores. 

Dryobates  villosus.  Hairy  Woodpecker.  —  Occasionally  observed. 
There  seemed  to  be  a  great  dearth  of  Woodpeckers,  the  Flicker  alone 
excepted.  Dead  trees  did  not  abound,  still  there  were  a  great  many  of 
them  scattered  here  and  there. 

Dryobates  pubescens.  Dow^'v  Woodpecker.  —  The  only  birds  I 
chanced  to  meet  weie  a  family  at  Souris  occupying  a  hole  thirty  feet  from 
the  giound  in  a  dead  maple  of  large  dimensions.  The  locality  was  a  grove 
of  old  maples. 

Sphyrapicus  varius.  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker.  — This  species  was 
also  unexpectedly  rare  and  seldom  met  with. 

Ceophlceus  pileatus.  Pileated  Woodpecker. — Said  to  have  been 
formerl"  common.  Prof  Earle  showed  me  a  stuffed  specimen,  but  I  found 
no  other  evidence,  save  hearsay,  of  its  occurrence.  No  'mortise  holes' 
were  discovered. 

Colaptes  auratus.  Flicker. — The  only  abui-.dant  Woodpecker,  and 
found  every  where  in 'noderate  numbers.  June  25,  a  nest  with  fully  fledged 
young  was  examined  in  the  top  of  a  hollow  fence  post.  No  excavation 
had  been  made  by  the  hird,  and  the  young  were  entirely  exposed  to  the 
weather. 

Chordeiles  virginianus.  Nigiithawk. — A  few  were  seen  almost  every 
day,  frequenting  the  open  clearings  or  sailing  high  in  the  air  at  sunset. 

Chaetura  pelagica.  Chimney  Swikt.  —  Rather  rare,  and  not  often 
seen.  In  a  country  where  a  majority  of  the  houses  have  but  one 
chimney,  and  that  chimney  in  use  from  one  year's  end  to  another's,  it  is 
not  remarkable  that  the  Chimney  Swift  still  nests  in  its  primitive  manner 
in  hyllow  trees,  but  it  is  remarkable  how  soon  it  takes  kindly  to  civiliza- 
tion when  this  has  advanced  to  the  point  of  building  houses  with  a  spare- 
room  chimney. 

Trochilus  colubris.  Ruuy-tiiroated  Hummingbird  — Not  observed, 
but  undoubtedly  occurs.     Prof.  Earle  showed  me  stuffed  specimens. 

Tyrannus  tyrannus.  Kingbird.  —  Rather  common,  and  no  doubt 
greatly  enjoys  life  where  there  are  so  many  Crows  to  he  harrassed. 

Contopus  boreahs.  Olive-sided  Flycatcher.  —  One  specimen  was 
observed  at  Souris.     Prof.  Earle  was  familiar  with  it. 

Contopus  virens.      Wood   Pevvee. — Net  common,  though  now  and 

then  met  with  in  certain  localities, 
9 


lO  DwiGHT,  Summer  Birda  of  Prince  Edivaid  hlauil.  \\m\. 

Empidonax  flaviventris.  Ykllow-iusli.if.d  Flvcatciikk.  —  P'oiiru) 
only  ;U  Tifjnisli  and  in  small  numbers.  The  drvTiess  of  the  other  localities 
visited  would  partly  account  foi'  its  absence.  The  scarcity  of  this  and  the 
followiiifj  species  rather  surprised  me. 

Empidonax  pusillus  traillii.  Traill's  Flycatcher.  —  A  few  at 
Tignish  in  their  favorite  haunts,  the  alders,  were  the  only  ones  met  with. 
It  is  likely  t!iat  both  this  species  and  the  pieccding  are  in  some  other 
localities  more  abuiulant  than  my  observations  uould  indicate 

Empidonax  minimus.  Licast  Flycatciikr.  — A  cheerful  series  of 
'clie-b^cs'  greeted  me  one  morning  at  Souris.  It  is  really  easier  to  distin- 
guish this  bird  from  traillii  \i\  its  notes  than  by  the  bird  in  hand,  but  the 
bird  in  hand  is,  unfortunately  perhaps,  a  scientific  neces.sity.  No  others 
were  seen. 

Cyanocitta  cristata.  IJluk  Jay.— Not  abu-vlant,  and  only  occasionally 
met  with.    No  Perisoreus  canadensis  were  c  en  heard  of. 

rCorvuscorax  principalis  Raven. — I  was  told  that  a  jiair  of  Ravens  had 
formerly  nested  for  several  years  on  the  face  of  the  clilVat  ICast  Point,  and 
while  I  think  my  informant  could  have  made  no  mistake  as  to  the  species, 
1  hesitate  about  admitting  a  bird  to  the  list  on  hearsay  only.] 

Corvus  americanus.  American  Crow.— Nowhere,  in  the  breeding 
season,  have  I  ever  seen  Crows  so  abuniiant  and  so  tame.  Tliey  were 
never  out  of  sight  or  hearing,  and  they  sit  on  the  fences  and  'caw'  at  vou 
derisively  as  you  ride  by.  Of  course  their  numbers  were  augmenteil  by 
young  birds,  and  early  in  July  they  were  beginning  to  flock,  as  indicated 
bv  a  gathering  of  nearly  a  hundred  seen  July  4.  AtTignish  there  was  a 
roost  in  a  large  patch  of  woods,  whither  towards  simdown  aiul  later 
Cro.vs  were  seen  coiiverging  from  all  directions.  In  the  woods  a  terrible 
noise  was  kept  up  until  it  grew  dark.  The  Crows  do  not  molest  the 
farmer  to  any  great  extent,  as  he  raises  no  corn,  but  I  was  told  thev  kill 
voung  chickens  and  pick  out  the  eyes  of  new-born  '  inbs.  They  daily 
congregate  for  a  feast  in  the  fiehls  where  the  refuse  "i  the  many  lobster- 
canning  establishments  is  used  as  a  fertilizer. 

Scolecophagus  carolinus.  Rusty  nLAiKuiRi). — A  flock  of  twenty  or 
more,  largely  young  birds,  near  East  Point  July  7,  were  the  only  ones 
seen.     I  had  heard  of  their  occurence  elsewhere. 

QuiscaluE  quiscula  seneus.  Bro.vzrd  Gracki.e. — A  pair  of  these 
birds  in  Prof.  Earle's  possession  were  the  only  ories  he  had  ever  seen,  very 
likely  stragglers  frotn  the  mainland. 

Carpodacus  purpureus.  Purple  Finch.  —  Sparingly  distributed,  a 
restless  and  roving  species,  and  seen  singly  or  in  pairs. 

Loxia  curvirostra  minor,  .\merican  Crossbill.  —  Perhaps  more 
abundant  than  the  following  species,  but  the  flocks  are  so  often  made  up 
of  birds  of  both  species,  and  so  much  more  frequently  seen  or  heard  flying 
overhead  rather  than  allowing  a  closer  examination,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
estimate  their  numbers.  At  any  rate  both  were  occasionally  seen  in 
flocks  of  old  and  young,  sometimfes  one  species  predominating  (usuallv 
the  flock  was  almost  entirely  made   up  of  one  species),  sometimes  the 


Vol.  X 
.    189J 


J  DwiGHT,  Summer  Birds  0/ Prince  Edxvard  hland.  \  I 


other.  Althoiij;li  the  call  notes  are  quite  (listin>,'iiishable,  those  of  leucop- 
/e;-rt  heinsj;  harsher,  it  is  no  easy  matte;- to  (ieteniiiiic  purceiilaijes  in  chat- 
tering flock.s  of  a  dozen  or  more  birds.  Their  favorite  feeding  haunts  were 
larch  trees,  and,  unless  disturbed,  they  were  silent  as  they  hung  about  the 
branches  in  all  conceivable  attitudes,  usually  upside  down.  They  also 
feed  on  the  seeds  from  the  green  cones  of  the  fir  which  are  tipped  with 
freshly  exuded  pilch  at  this  season,  if  it  be  a  cone  year.  The  pitch  often 
inats  on  the  bills  and  feathers  of  the  birds.  Dissection  showed  the 
breeding  season  to  be  long  past. 

Loxia  leucoptera.  WiiiTK-wi.viiKi)  CROssniLt.  —  Katlier  numerous. 
Tlie  remarks  made  under  the  preceding  species  apply  also  to  this. 
Neither  can  be  seen  every  day,  for  liolh  are  great  wanderers. 

Spinus  tristis.     Amkkican  GoLnKiNXii. — A  few  seen  almost  daily. 

Spinus  pinus.  Pink  Siskin. —  It  surprised  me  to  meet  with  this  species 
l)Ul  once — a  male  at  Souris.     Dissection  showed  the  bird  to  be  breeding. 

Poocaeles  gramineus.  Vksi'kk  Si'Akuow. — .\n  abundant  bird,  frequent- 
ing the  open  fields  in  the  more  settled  districts. 

Ammodramus  sandwichensis  savanna.  Savanna  Si'Arrow.  —  Tt  is 
probably  the  most  abuiulaTit  bird  on  tlie  island,  and  is  found  evervwhere 
except  in  woods.  On  sand  beaches,  marshes,  or  dry  fields  its  weak  song 
was  constantly  to  be  heard,  and  in  certain  pastures  it  seemed  as  if  every 
third  fence  post  were  occupied  by  a  singer.  As  an  illustration  that  tlving 
is  a  matter  of  practice  on  the  part  of  young  birds,  I  instance  a  young 
Savanna  Sparrow  that  I  flushed  one  windy  day  in  a  pasture  where  the 
grass  was  very  short.  The  wind  upset  all  his  calculaiioiis  and  himself  as 
well,  apparently  getting  under  bis  wings  and  turning  him  upside  dow-u 
every  time  he  started  on  a  fresh  flight,  lie  would  get  along  pretty  well 
for  a  rod  or  o  and  then  a  puff  would  send  him  bowling  over  the  sod  till 
he  reached  a  point  of  frigl.t  and  exhaustion  that  left  him  panting  just 
where  he  happened  to  roll. 

Ammodramus  caudacutus  subvirgatus.  Acadian  Siiaki'-taii.ki) 
KiNcu. — A  few  birds  in  a  salt  marsh  at  Tigiiish  were  the  only  ones  I  could 
discover,  although  I  searched  in  many  other  localities.  As  Mr.  Win. 
Stone  found  this  form  abundant  at  Tignish  in  1876  (recorded  as  A.  cauda- 
cutus. (ov sul'X'irgtitus  was  not  then  separated,  ISrewster,  Hull.  N.  O.  C, 
Vol.  II,  Jan.  1877,  p.  iS),  I  w.is  surprised  not  to  find  it  more  abundant.  I 
saw  likely  ground  along  East  River,  but  did  not  have  time  to  explore  it, 
and  the  birds  very  possibly  m;iy  be  locally  distributed  here  and  at  other 
points  also. 

Zonotrichia  albicollis.  Wiiitk-tiikoatei)  Spakkow. — This  bird  so 
characteristic  of  the  Canadian  Fauna  is  less  abundant  than  the  ubiquitous 
Junco,  but  on  account  of  its  loud  and  striking  song  is  far  better  known  to 
the  aver,  ge  inhabitant.  It  is  a  bird  of  the  clearings,  building  its  nest 
upon  the  ground  in  a  bunch  of  weeds,  and  singing  nearly  all  of  the  time 
it  is  not  occupied  scolding  intruders.  Its  well-kiu)Wn  song  is  easily 
imitated,  and  it  is  amusing  to  see  how  angry  and  excited  a  male  will 
become  if  he  thinks  another  has  strayed  into  his  own  domain.     The  song 


12  DwiciiiT,  Siiwmer  Birds  of  Prince  Eihvard  Island.  \\^ 

is  sometimes  htaiil  liroaliinfj  the  stillness  of  tlie  niglit.  anil  onlv  those  who 
have  passed  n  ni}j;ht  in  the  norlhetii  woods  can  know  how  piofound  this 
stillness  may  he.  The  sonj;  has  given  to  the  hiid  many  local  names 
wherever  it  occurs,  one  ot"  the  hest  known  being  'Kennedy  Bird.'  I  heard 
a  new  version  which  credits  him  with  saying  'Good  Lord,  pity  me,  pitv 
me,  pity  me."  When  the  young  get  on  tlv;  wing,  the  song  is  less  IVe- 
quently  lieard.  The  l)ir(l  is  kuo'vn  to  the  lew  French  settlers  of  the  island 
as  rossii;nol  (nightingale). 

Spizella  socialis.  Ci'ipriN(i  Si-arugw. — Not  a  common  species,  and 
only  occasionally  observed. 

Junco  hyemalij.  Sr..\  ik-coi.oki-.i)  Ji'nco.  —  Next  to  the  Savanna  Spar- 
row this  is  probably  the  most  abunilant  bird  on  the  island.  It  is  found 
everywhere, — in  dooryards,  open  fields,  fern-clothed  clearings,  even  deep 
woods.  Its  nest  is  on  the  ground,  preferably  under  something — the 
bottom  rail  of  a  fence  or  a  hole  in  some  grassy  bank.  Young  were  just 
beginning  to  llv  June  23,  and  a  week  later  nests  with  fresh  eggs  indicated 
a  second  laying.  Its  local  name  is  'Bluebird,'  a  strange  misnomer,  even 
though  Sidlia  sid/is  does  not  occur. 

Melospiza  fasciata.  Song  Sparkow. —  V'ery  abundant  and  general. v 
distributed.     Mr.  Bain  states  that  some  winter  on  the  island. 

Melospiza  georgiana.  Swamp  Sparrow. —  Rather  common  in  very 
wet,  bushv  meadows,  with  alders  here  and  there,  or  in  open  swamps  of 
limited  are:*,  such  as  occur  along  brooks  in  cleared  country. 

Pelrochelidon  lunifrons.  Clifk  Swallow. — A  cojiimon  bird,  locally 
distributed,  and  nesting  iti  colonies  nndei'  the  eaves  of  b:u  ns   and  houses. 

Chelidon  erythrogaster.  Barn  Swallow. —  Abundant  and  geneially 
distributed. 

Tachycineta  bicolor.  White-biclliei)  Swallow. —  Fairly  abundant, 
nesting  in  old  Woodpecker  holes  in  clei.rings,  crevices  about  barns,  and 
the  hollow  ends  of  the  lils  composing  the  zigzag  fences  so  common  on 
the  island.  The  sudden  disappearance  of  a  Swallow  as  it  aligbteil  on  a 
fence  was  almost  startling  until  I  learned  that  in  some  deep  hollow,  de- 
caved  out  of  the  heart  of  an  unsplit  rail,  was  a  cosy  nest  of  grass  and 
feathers.  It  was  impossible  to  dislodge  the  birds  that  were  sometimes  out 
of  arm's  reach,  but  several  nests  exainined  the  last  week  in  June  contained 
voung.      I  have  never  found  this  species  nesting  in  such  a  location  before. 

Clivicola  riparia.  Bank  Swallow. —  I  perlia))s  do  this  species  an  in- 
justice when  I  say  that  it  is  outnumbered  by  the  Savann:.  ^parrow  and 
the  Junco.  I  saw  colonies  of  hundreds  at  several  points  along  »he  coast, 
and  as  every  hlulTis  crowned  by  a  layer  of  sand,  and  much  of  the  coast 
line  is  a  continuous  blulV,  the  Swallows  have  unrivalled  opportunities 
for  nesting  places. 

Ampelis  cedrorum.  Ckdariiird. —  Seen  now  and  again,  but  not  com- 
mon. There  is  a  remarkable  similarity  between  a  li;;p  of  this  species,  a 
certain  note  of  the  Robin,  and  one  of  the  Hermit  Thrush. 

Vireo  olivaceus.  Ricd-kyku  Vireo. — A  common  and  in  a  few  localities 
an  abundant  bird,  here  as  elsewhere  a  tireless  songster.  It  prefers  decid- 
uous trees,  particularly  lar^c  maples.  ' 


.^■893^]         f>wioilT,  Summer  Binh  of  Prince  Edward  tsUtnd.  I^ 

Vireo  solitarius.-  Soljtarv  Vireo.— At  Souiis  one  diiv  I  was  attracted 
by  the  soiij;  ol'  this  liini.  arid  soon  saw  tljc  perfc/rmei-.  This  was  the  onlv 
s|)ecimen  observed  on  tlie  island.  I  have  often  met  with  it  on  the  main- 
land, and  f'ullv  expected  to  find  others,  as  its  rich,  clear  sontf,  disconnected 
withal  in  delivery,  cannot  fail  to  attract  attention. 

Mniotilta  varia.  Black-and-wiiitk  Warbler.— Occasionally  seen  or 
its  'wiry'  soni;  heard,  though  not  very  common. 

Helminthophila  ruficapilla.  Na.siivii.lk  Warbi.er.—  Rather  abundant 
at  Tignish  and  not  met  with  elsewliere.  The  activity  of  this  bird  is  highly 
commendable,  unless  you  are  in  pursuit  of  one,  when  you  are  not  so  favor- 
ably impressed.  Hardly  pausing  to  dash  off  its  lively  song,  it  is  one 
moment  at  the  very  lop  of  some  tall  tree  and  the  next  on  tlit  ground  a 
hundred  yards  away  where  its  song  breaks  forth  (piite  as  vigorously.  The 
bird  is  the  embodiment  of  restles.sness. 

Compsothlypis  americana.  Parui.a  Warbler.—  Infrecjuently  observed 
and  generally  in  tlic  upper  branches  of  hard-wood  forest. 

Dendroica  aestiva.  Yr'it.i.ow  WARHt.FK. —  Rather  common  and  quite  as 
likely  to  be  found  among  lonely  alder  thickets  as  in  the  trees  around 
houses. 

Dendroica  caerulescens.  Blaik-tiiroatkii  Blue  Warbler. —  A  few 
were  detected  at  Souris.  I  did  not  see  such  extensive  hard-wood  timber 
anywhere  else  on  the  island,  and  as  the  species  has  a  decided  prefeience 
for  such  localities,  its  absence  elsewhere  is  perhaps  not  to  be  wondered  at. 

Dendroica  coronata.  Myrtle  Warbler.— Common.  Tiieir  song 
reminded  me  of  early  spring  days  in  lower  latitudes.  Their  favorite 
iiaunts  were  clumps  of  spi  uces  and  lirs  in  partly  cleared  land. 

Dendroica  maculosa.  Magnolia  Wariii,i:r.— This  is  the  characteristic 
Warbler  of  the  region  and  is  abundantly  represented.  It  is  most  abim- 
daut  in  low  growths  of  spruces,  where  the  variety  of  its  song  io  often  con- 
fusing. 

Dendroica  virens.  Hlack-tiiroated  Green  Warbler.— .\buudanl 
at  every  place  \isited  where  the  forest  was  composed  of  trees  of  consider- 
able size. 

Dendroica  palmarum  hypochrysea.  Yellow  Palm  Warbler— An 
incubating  female  taken  at  Tignish  is  the  only  evidence  I  have  of  this 
bird's  occurience.  The  locality  was  damp,  cleared  ground,  growing  up 
with  bushes  atid  small  larches. 

Seiurus  aurocapillus.  Ovenbird.— One  was  noted  .it  Tignish,  and  a 
number  at  Souris  in  the  hard-wood  timber.  It  is  doubtless  fairly  common 
in  suitable  localities. 

Seiurus  noveboracensis.  Water-thrush. —  A  few  were  met  with  at 
Tignish  only.  It  is  a  species  that  but  for  its  loud  song  would  easily 
escape  notice.     Invariably  found  along  brooks  or  in  their  near  vicinitv. 

Geothlypis  Philadelphia.  Mournini;  Warbler.— Appiuently  rare, 
though  a  few  were  found  at  Souris  in  the  bushy  edges  of  drv  tields 
adjoining  the  woods. 

Geothlypis    trichas.      Maryland    Yellowthroat. —  Found  sparingly 


Id.  Dv  ■(!IIT,  Siimmrr  /iinh  of  Prince  Edn-ani  f.iliind.  V\^n 

ill  llie  we'-ti'iii  poilion  of  the  island.     Ndiie  Wfre  lUilcd  at  Soiiiis,  alllHiUijIi 
I  have  no  doubt  they  ocinir  there-. 

Sylvania  pusilla.  Wit.soN's  Warh[.kr. —  One  speeiineii  wa-*  seemed 
tit  TIgnisli  in  an  extensive  aiboi-vitii.'  and  alder  swamp.  This  is  a  retir- 
ing species  and  is  pr(>l)al)Iv  not  uneonminn  it'  particular  search  he  made 
for  it. 

Sylvania  canadensis.  Canadian  Warih-kf*. — •  Rather  common  about 
Tignish,  but  not  met  with  elsewheie,  altlious^h  I  have  no  doubt  it  occurs 
in  snital)le  localities. 

Setophaga  ruticilla.  American  Rkdstart.  —  Abundant.  One  of  its 
songs  might  lie  easily  confused  with  one  of/?.  iiuichIosu.  The  importance 
of  recognizing  songs  in  a  region  where  the  denseness  of  the  woods  and 
underbrush  renders  the  sight  or  capture  of  the  vocalist  often  well-nigh 
impossible,  is  verv  great,  but  to  depend  entirely  upon  one's  ear  in  identi- 
fving  birds  is  a  procedure  greatly  to  be  deprecated. 

Troglodytes  hietnalis.  Wintkr  Wrkn. — Tolerably  common  in  damp 
woods  along  brooks,  or  sometimes  in  more  open  localities.  On  July  6  I 
met  with  a  family  of  young  birds  able  to  tly.  That  so  minute  a  bird 
should  produce  such  a  volume  of  licpiid  sound  is  ever  to  me  a  source  of 
wonderment.  It  is  often  impossible  to  see  the  little  fellow  wlien  he  is 
pouring  forth  his  song  right  over  yoiu'  head,  hut  those  who  have  ever 
entered  a  dense  second-growth  of  spruces,  with  a  wilderness  of  dead  twigs 
interlacing  below,  know  one  of  the  dilficulties  that  beset  the  path  of  the 
collector  in  the  northern  wootls. 

Sitta  canadensis.  Rkd-hkllucd  Nuthatch.  —  I  had  about  given  up 
seeing  this  species  at  all  when  1  came  uptin  several  at  Souris,  probahlv  a 
family.  They  feed  usually  in  tlie  upper  boughs  of  spruces,  and  seldom 
run  up  autl  down  the  trunks  of  trees  like  their  white-breasted  brethren. 
They  have  a  nasal  cry  of  one  note,  utteied  with  varying  intensity,  aiul 
never  rapidly  repeated  like  tlie  other  species.  Of  course  I  should  not 
venture  such  general  conclusions  as  these  with  regard  to  this  species,  nor 
to  others,  if  they  were  not  based  upon  further  observations  made  else- 
where. 

Parus  atricapillus.  Hlack-caim'ed  Chickadke.  —  Occasionally  small 
roving  families  were  encountered,  so  that  it  is  probably  a  fairly  common 
species. 

Parus  hudsonicus.  Hudsonian  Chickadee. — Tolerably  common,  but 
not  attracting  attention  to  itself  so  aggressively  as  does  (ttricafiilliis. 
However,  when  it  does  speak  out,  it  alwa^s  seems  to  me  to  make  use  of 
the  ungramiTiatical  expression  'It's  md-e,'  with  a  good  deal  of  emphasis  on 
the  'me-e.' 

Regulus  satrapa.  Golden-crowned  Kinglet.  —  Infrequently  ob- 
served. Young  were  on  the  wing  the  last  of  June.  It  tshould  have 
proved  much  more  abundant  than  I  found  it  to  be. 

Turdus  ustulatus  swainsonii.  Olive-backkd  Thrlsh. — Very  abun- 
dant, almost  equalling  in  numbers  the  Ileiinit  Thiusb.  They  are  usnallv 
excessively  shy  and  difficult   to  obtain,  although   several   may  be  singing 


"89.1  ]  DwiGHT,  Slimmer  Bints  of  Prince  Edward  hlaud.  \  c 

within  hearing  at  the  same  time.  They  frequent  tliick  growths  of  spruces, 
ami  from  s-)mt;  c.>mmanllin^'  |.erih  pour  forth  th.'ir  rich  sonj,'.  If  they 
become  aware  of  your  approach  even  a  gunshot  or  more  away,  thev  dive 
down  into  the  dense  underf,'rowth,  and  a  few  soft  alarm  notes  are  the  last 
you  hear  of  them.  Squeaking  to  them  will  bring  them  to  you  for  one  brief 
look,  which  sati^Wies  them,  but  not  you,  for  they  generally  see  you  first 
and  at  close  range.  Sometimes  they  sing  in  the  thicke'-  of  spruces,  but 
are  more  apt  to  have  a  particular  perch,  perhaps  on  some  towering,  dead 
tree.  I  heard  no  songs  that  I  had  any  reason  to  suppose  wert  other  than 
true  szvainsonii,  for  the  possibility  of  finding  bickiielli  or  ali.iie  had  to 
be  kept  constantly  in  mind.  I  found  no  young,  even  up  to  the  lust  dav  of 
my  stay,  but  that  proves  nothing  with  a  bird  so  retiring.  Thev  sang 
more  persistently  and  in  greater  numbers  in  the  early  morning  and  late 
everting  hours. 

Turdus  aonalaschk^  pallasii.  IIkrmit  Thrush.  —  Slight! v  more 
abundant  than  the  preceding  species,  and  perhaps  more  generally  dis- 
tributed. The  songs  and  notes  of  this  species  have  been  so  frequently 
confused  with  those  of  other  Thrushes,  particularly  with  those  of  the 
Olive-backed  Thrush,  that  an  elVort  on  my  part  to  call  attention  to  the 
differences  that  exist  between  them  may  not  be  without  interest.  The 
deliberate  character  of  its  song  is  in  marked  contrast  to  that  oCizmiiiso/iii 
and  its  musical  ability  is  more  varied.  The  usual  song  dies  out  without 
the  rising  inflection  of  s-vai/iso/iii.  and  there  is  a  pause  after  the  first  syl- 
lable, while  in  swaiiisoiiii  there  is  no  pause  and  the  second  syllable  is 
strongly  accented,  the  whole  song  being  quicklv  delivered.  The  Hermit 
Thrush  has  also  a  nasal  note  of  complaint  in  two  ellided  syllables,  a  cluck 
like  a  Blackbird,  and  a  lisp  not  unlike  a  Cedarbird.  The  nasal  note  has 
its  counterpart  \n  swainsoiiii  which  utters  a  similar,  but  more  liquid 
note,  and  the  cluck  of  pnllasii  may  be  compared  with  a  'puk'  or  'pink'  (as 
near  as  it  can  be  represented)  of  atvaiiisonii.  The  lisp  is  peculiar  to 
pdlhisii,  while  there  is  a  queer  multiple  note  of  soliloquy  peculiar  to 
s7V(iiiiso>iii. 

Merula  migratoria.  American  Rodin.  —  v'ery  abundant  in  the  more 
open  country.  An  occasional  one  is  said  by  Mr.  Bain  to  remain  through 
the  winter,  subsisting  on  the  berries  of  the  mountain  ash. 


